Young drivers are held to especially high standards in Ontario for their own safety, and for the safety of others. A young man from east of Toronto was recently reminded how high those standards actually are. He was able to walk away from an accident without an injury, but not without an impaired driving charge.
The accident occurred shortly after midnight on Dec. 29, 2016. Durham Regional Police officers reported seeing a small car travelling north on Courtice Road. The vehicle turned west onto Highway 2 before allegedly accelerating to a high rate of speed and out of sight of the officers.
Evidently, the driver lost control of the vehicle and the car left the road at a point west of Trulls Road. The vehicle slid backwards into a residential front yard, hit a snowbank and flipped over. The driver was uninjured, but a passenger suffered minor injuries during the mishap. Officers arrived at the scene and arrested the driver, but released him on a promise to appear in court. The 19-year-old man was charged with driving with a blood alcohol level over zero as a young driver, street racing, driving while under suspension, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and impaired operation of a motor vehicle.
For this young man, a moment's indiscretion and a bit of bad luck has led to a long list of charges. Charges like impaired driving can haunt a young Ontario driver for years to come if a conviction follows. For any driver facing serious charges such as these, it is almost essential to find solid representation from an experienced criminal defence lawyer to have a chance at a positive end result.
Source: CTV Toronto, "Man, 19, facing multiple charges after single-vehicle crash in Courtice", Kayla Goodfield, Dec. 29, 2016